Personal injury · Lithuania
Find a personal injury lawyer in Lithuania who handles your claim
An injury raises immediate questions about evidence, time limits and cost, and the answers depend on Lithuanian law. Tell us briefly what happened and we match you, free of charge, with a lawyer whose practice covers the kind of damage you suffered.
- Describe your accident in a few minutes
- Matched with an advocate handling damage claims
- First response usually within 24–48 hours
Free and confidential. This page explains the system; it does not give legal advice.
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Personal injury claims in Lithuania
Where to start after an injury in Lithuania
An injury can disrupt your work, your income and your family life, and the paperwork that follows rarely waits. This page explains how claims for personal injury are handled in Lithuania — which courts deal with them, who is entitled to represent you, what court fees and legal costs look like, and when state-guaranteed legal aid may be available. If you want a personal injury lawyer in Lithuania rather than a general explanation, you do not need to search alone: tell us briefly what happened and we match you, free of charge, with a lawyer whose practice covers the kind of damage you suffered. You keep control of the decision, and the first conversation is simply a chance to understand your position.
Lithuania in practice
How injury claims work under Lithuanian law
Lithuania follows the continental civil-law model, so statutes are the primary source of law and the uniform case law of the Supreme Court guides how they are read. Below is how the system is structured, who may act for you, and what the process normally costs.
Which courts decide injury claims
Lithuania follows the continental civil-law model, so statutes rather than precedent are the primary source of law, although the uniform case law of the Supreme Court of Lithuania guides interpretation. Most civil claims, including claims for damage, begin in one of the twelve district courts (apylinkių teismai); appeals move up through the regional courts and then the Court of Appeal of Lithuania.
Who is entitled to act as your advocate
Only a person entered on the register of advocates kept by the Lithuanian Bar Association (Lietuvos advokatūra) may use the title advokatas. Requirements include Lithuanian or other EU citizenship, a master’s-level law degree, command of the state language, an impeccable reputation, the advocate’s qualification examination and the advocate’s oath. Lawyers qualified elsewhere in the EU may provide services in Lithuania under the Law on the Bar.
Do you need a lawyer in civil proceedings?
In civil cases, natural persons may generally act in person before the first-instance court and are not obliged to retain an advocate; legal persons act through their statutory organs or an authorised representative. Representation by an advocate is, however, mandatory for cassation appeals to the Supreme Court of Lithuania. In criminal proceedings the defendant has the right to defence counsel, and in certain cases counsel is compulsory.
What litigation costs look like
The main court fee is the stamp duty (žyminis mokestis) under Articles 79–80 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Claims for damage to health or life are among the categories exempt from it. Advocates’ fees are freely agreed with no binding tariffs, and as a rule the losing party bears the successful party’s litigation costs, with non-binding Ministry of Justice recommendations on reimbursable amounts.
State-guaranteed legal aid
Lithuania runs a two-tier scheme under the Law on State-Guaranteed Legal Aid. Primary legal aid — information, consultation and help with simple documents — is free for everyone and delivered through the municipalities. Secondary legal aid, covering procedural documents, representation in court and litigation costs, is provided by advocates through the State-Guaranteed Legal Aid Service to applicants whose property and income fall below statutory thresholds, with 100% or 50% of the cost covered.
Work injuries and the Labour Dispute Commission
Where the injury arose from employment, individual labour disputes must first go to a Labour Dispute Commission operating under the territorial divisions of the State Labour Inspectorate before the courts can be involved. Since 1 July 2017 the commissions also decide disputes concerning non-pecuniary damage. A commission must resolve the dispute within one month, extendable by a further month in individual cases.
The country information on this page is drawn from official Lithuanian bodies and the European e-Justice portal, verified at the time of publication.
- Judicial system of Lithuania — National Courts Administration
- Law on the Bar of the Republic of Lithuania (Advokatūros įstatymas)
- Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania and related limitation rules
- State Tax Inspectorate (VMI) — stamp duty (žyminis mokestis)
- EU e-Justice — legal aid in Lithuania
- State Labour Inspectorate — Labour Dispute Commissions
Common problems
What makes an injury claim feel difficult
Most people who contact us are not looking for a lecture on legal theory. They want to know where their case belongs, what it may be worth, and how long they have.
You are not sure where a claim begins
Lithuania has district courts, regional courts, a Court of Appeal and a Supreme Court, and the route your case takes depends on its subject matter and value. Without guidance it is easy to file in the wrong place or miss a procedural step.
You cannot judge what your injury is worth
Compensation arguments turn on medical evidence, lost income, future costs and non-pecuniary damage. Because advocates’ fees in Lithuania are freely agreed with no binding tariffs, you also need to understand what pursuing the case will cost you.
Deadlines and paperwork are piling up
Time limits in Lithuania vary widely: general contractual claims run for ten years, periodical payments for five, general labour claims for three, and dismissal claims only one month. Evidence also fades quickly after an accident.
How we help
Matching you with the right advocate
We are not a law firm and we do not give advice. We run a free matching service that puts your description of events in front of Lithuanian advocates who work on this kind of claim.
Matching by practice area
We look at what actually happened rather than the label you use. Whether the injury arose from a road traffic accident, a workplace incident or a defective product, we search for advocates whose practice covers that type of damage claim in Lithuania.
Advocates on the Lithuanian register
The title advokatas is reserved to persons entered on the register kept by the Lithuanian Bar Association, after meeting requirements such as a master’s-level law degree, command of the state language and a qualification examination. We match you within that regulated profession.
Costs explained before you commit
Lithuanian court fees follow the stamp duty rules, and claims for damage to health or life are exempt. Advocates’ fees are freely agreed, with non-binding Ministry of Justice recommendations on what a winning party may recover. The cost is set out before you decide.
One brief, several lawyers
You describe the accident once and we circulate your request to advocates who handle injury claims in Lithuania. You choose who to speak to and whether to instruct them. The matching itself costs nothing and there is no obligation to proceed.
Also available in
European countries covered by our matching service
Our network of specialised lawyers extends beyond Lithuania. If your accident happened abroad or you now live in another European country, you can request a match there as well.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a personal injury lawyer in Lithuania to bring a claim?
Not always. In civil proceedings, natural persons may generally act in person at first instance and are not obliged to retain an advocate. Representation by an advocate is mandatory, however, for cassation appeals to the Supreme Court of Lithuania. A lawyer also helps with evidence, quantum and procedure.
Which Lithuanian court will hear my injury claim?
Most civil claims, including claims for damage, begin in one of the twelve district courts (apylinkių teismai). Appeals are heard by the regional courts and then by the Court of Appeal of Lithuania, with the Supreme Court of Lithuania as the sole court of cassation, forming uniform case law.
How much does it cost to start a claim in Lithuania?
The main court fee is the stamp duty under Articles 79–80 of the Code of Civil Procedure, normally paid before lodging a claim. Claims for damage to health or life are among the exempt categories. Advocates’ fees are freely agreed, and as a rule the losing party bears the successful party’s litigation costs.
Can I get free legal help in Lithuania?
There are two tiers. Primary legal aid — information, consultation and help with simple documents — is free for everyone and provided through the municipalities. Secondary legal aid, covering procedural documents, court representation and litigation costs, is available through the State-Guaranteed Legal Aid Service to applicants below statutory property and income thresholds, with 100% or 50% covered.
My injury happened at work. Is there a special procedure?
Yes. Individual labour disputes in Lithuania must first go before a Labour Dispute Commission, which operates under the territorial divisions of the State Labour Inspectorate, before the courts can be involved. Since 1 July 2017 the commissions also decide disputes concerning non-pecuniary damage, and must resolve a dispute within one month, extendable by one month.
What time limits should I keep in mind?
Limitation periods differ by type of claim. General contractual claims run for ten years and interest and other periodical payments for five. General labour claims carry three years, while dismissal claims must be brought within one month. Which period applies to your situation is exactly the kind of question a matched advocate can check.
Next step
Tell us what happened — we will find the match
You do not need to know which court, which deadline or which legal category applies to you. Describe the accident, the injuries and any correspondence you have received, and we will match you free of charge with an advocate in Lithuania who handles that kind of claim.